washington says it will reassign is afghan mission to assisting local forces from the spring response speculation over plans to maintain its military in the chaotic country. mali government forces chase militants out of a key city with the help of french military is right stop the president francois hollande stated intervention in the area will continue as long as necessary. and u.k. textile manufacturers are calling on the prime minister to back british as a domestic rose industry struggles survival foreign competitors.

at four pm here in moscow you are watching r t with me to be on with day it's good to have you with us afternoon america as to leave local forces in charge of combat operations in afghanistan and source to us support role this spring came from u.s. president barack obama after a round of talks with his afghan counterpart on what's being hailed as the last chapter of the u.s. afghan mission but as you can report american involvement in the country looks set to i'm bored. during his election campaign president obama may have sounded very resolute to leave afghanistan in two thousand and fourteen but the white house is now negotiating terms to stay there the president said if u.s. forces stayed their role will be different but critics argue it's an attempt to rebrand a military presence which both the majority of americans and afghans

a pope's going to listen to what president obama said about the mission after two thousand and fourteen i think. you know although obviously we're still. two years away. i can say with assurance that this is a very different mission and a very different task and a very different. for the us if we are able to come to an appropriate agreement now one of the key points of the agreement that the president mentioned there keep point probably is immunity from prosecution for u.s. troops so that the afghans cannot prosecute any american soldier if they commit a crime that's the deal that the white house couldn't get from the iraqi government the u.s. wanted to keep some troops there but couldn't because of how we oppose the iraqis were to allowing the u.s. to further operate there with impunity but with homemade karzai it could be different he indicated that he is willing to give that immunity that he's willing to bourg it besides he knows that he's in power because of the americans and many

experts believe his government will collapse in no time after americans leave but whatever post twenty fourteen deal comes out of their negotiations it might not be easy for washington to sell it to the american people because despite the administration trying to present of ghana sent as a success story in many ways they see it as a failure and don't understand why their troops should stay any further policymakers in washington can't really come out and say that they don't want to walk away and just just pack up and leave from such an important geopolitical position now that they've spent billions and billions of dollars to have a presence there but such chill political calculations may not sound very appealing to the american people at a time when the country's head over heels in debt despite to this latest announcement afghan forces in a position to take full control of affairs in the woods and country so says phyllis bennis from washington bates institute for policy studies. we're talking about an

official acknowledgement by the two governments that now the afghan military is in control what that means is anybody's guess but what it does not mean is that the u.s. troops are going to be pulled out early there's a huge occupation force in the country that's not going to be brought out in twenty thirteen in the spring what we're talking about is a claim that as of that time the afghan people the afghan military the afghan government will officially be in charge they will be in charge of the military now the idea that the u.s. forces still there or the nato forces still there are going to take their orders from the afghan military i think is rather spurious that's certainly not going to happen i don't think the afghan government has the capacity to survive without massive u.s. support that means both economic support and crucially military support but his reliance on that support leads to one massive corruption which is widely hated

throughout the country cars i had very little public support in in the country and militarily his his very large army isn't capable of standing up to the other militias it's one more militia the u.s. leaving will leave his government and his own position in a very and in a very precarious moment and he may well not survive that politically. now the afghan president's washington strips done and dusted glory half in a sauce people in new york what they think of the country's campaign in afghanistan . the reason we are over here is because they're wonderful. it's all about the views of the decade long invasion from the streets of the big apple coming your way later in the program. mali's government says it's regain control over the key central town of qana with the help of french military air strikes that of the president announced that french

troops are helping mali battlement militants on its territory and that the intervention would last as long as necessary the un security council called for a speedy deployment of international forces to that's all the rebels would seize the north of the country last april and since a made significant advances a number of governments voiced concerns over mali potentially becoming a terrorist stronghold which could threaten its neighbors as well as you are the senior editor of executive intelligence review says the french have helped create the region's instability which they're now trying to get rid of. there's definitely an element of falling back on an old colonial controller molly was given its independence in one thousand nine hundred sixty but is still part of the francophone region of africa the rebel operations in northern mali have existed for quite some time but it was only in the aftermath of the overthrow. gadhafi

government in libya which was promoted by france britain and the united states in particular really double crossing china and russia at the u.n. security council for regime change it was only after that that you had a massive flow of weapons out of libya into the hands of the rebels which basically took a low intensity conflict and threw it into a much greater crisis where the rebels outgunned the mali an army and so suddenly as the result of one badly flawed regime change policy in libya we have instability spreading to many parts of the african continent and beyond so it's a kind of a supreme irony that the french are being asked to come in and clean up

a mess that they themselves helped create israeli's prime minister benjamin netanyahu says stopping iran from making a nuclear bomb will be his top priority if you win the upcoming parliamentary vote the threat of an attack seems so real to many israelis that they already snapping up gas mask and renovating bomb shelters as policy has been discovering. mushroom clouds confusion hysteria this is israel's last day according to a young filmmaker who wants to shock his country into taking action i have created this morning to share my thoughts and my fears with the world about the potential threat that is coming from iran if you ask me this same question two years ago i will say that people don't think about it so much but today it is different we can see. the majority here of israel are preparing that so i think most

mentally grandparents are holocaust survivors from a mania a foreshadow he fears of what could come it took hitler six serious to kill six million jews and it will take. only six minutes that's why and maybe some or many israelis are really uneasy fearing iran might be building a nuclear bomb and tehran isn't mincing its words threatening tel aviv it will teach it a listen if it tries to attack first warning is we need missiles will make sure israel does not survive the center of israel is a problem and that's where we have to move forward not only that we haven't got enough voters it's very very populated so everything that is falling in this area can cause casualties. in two thousand and six during the second lebanon war rachel balmer ors and her family hid here from the katyusha rockets raining down from across the border she never imagined she'd be restocking her shelter again so soon

and for potentially more deadly consequences of course i'm afraid from the war from with iran because nobody wants war and peace and now i have also some rain children five grandchildren and i am afraid i'm afraid because my cells will go to the army there are soldiers in the air i don't want it the recent war with gaza was a chance for tel aviv to test its iron dome missile defense system but these raids are anxious in part because of widespread media coverage of just how unprepared for war their country has many bomb shelters in residential buildings are run down and neglected or have become furniture storage rooms while most of israel's arab citizens about a twenty percent of the population lack shelters altogether as the chances of war start looking all too real the army says four times as many israelis are collecting

state funded gas masks than they were several months ago i am a big concern it's not like i think they're going to be a war. just. the side my fear is thinking and with impending doomsday predictions circling the country no one wants to be caught unprepared police fear our t.v. television. on the way crime and punishment find out why those accused of committing most glorious masochist during the syrian conflict could soon be getting a ticket to the hague. also i hade find out if the prime minister's support can salvage a deal u.k. struggling textile manufacturers that reports and much more just ahead. you know sometimes you see a story and it seems so poorly you think you understand it and then you glimpse

something else you hear or see some other part of it and realize everything you thought you knew you don't know i'm trying hard welcome to the big picture.

a group of more than fifty countries is preparing to officially asked the un security council to refer the crisis in syria to the hague the move could pave the way for the war crimes prosecutions by the international court the backers of the initiative gross violations have taken place during the twenty two month conflict and everyone responsible should be held to account it follows the latest round of mediation talks in geneva where russia the us and the top peace envoy to syria reiterated their commitment to a peaceful solution to the crisis and as a relentless fighting rages on some western experts claim damascus might be hiding a stockpile of roll you money i'm a political analyst believes that that statement should be taken with a pinch of salt. there's a lot of noise about it there was

a bombing in two thousand and seven the israeli jets bombed the site in syria claiming that it is a nuclear site there was no indication yes the i.a.e.a. visited the site the i.a.e.a. said that there were traces of uranium of depleted uranium but they did not confirm that there was any quantity or at least you know this huge quantity that is being publicized i mean they're saying fifty tons of uranium this is this is i don't know where they come up with a number. of years the i did some research and it appears that they came up with a number because they they feel they are coming up with the story that this site that was there that was bombed in two thousand and seven would actually require fifty tons that doesn't mean that the syrians actually have fifty tons and that doesn't mean that the site is actually for a nuclear program the syrian central government was able to control more. past six months there is an advance of the syrian army and the syrian official police and

they are controlling most of the country there are only some areas in the country. with rebel fighters in some areas in the countryside where the syrian army withdrew from these areas because they thought that these areas were not important strategically but over all this is central government under the leadership of president assad controls most of the syrian territory obviously it's difficult because there are many fighters infiltrating from outside syria there are many a lot of money being infiltrated being pumped into syria to these rebel groups by a neighbor grudge especially by by turkey by qatar by other european and by the united states there is a sponsorship of these terror groups crumbling roads and bridges and a flickering electrical grid america's infrastructure is creaking and it's becoming a big problem and even tough a mother nature has played a hand in wrecking supplies recently the government is marking money for almost anything other than energy. explains over the past decade america

has spent hundreds of billions in the name of national security wars military intervention fighting terrorists and hunting online hackers meantime getting much less attention is a domestic danger lurking in and lighting up every corner of the country the u.s. power grid in recent months federal officials have warned that america's a lecture cables substations in transformers are not sufficiently secured and are vulnerable to attack by anyone with a weapon and some basic know how experts say the energy grid is also outdated and antiquated unable to prevent outages from cascading in october superstorm sandy hit twenty four states causing some sixty three billion dollars in damage more than four and a half million people lost power and new york was left crippled by massive floods leaving much of the city including half of the big apple plunged into darkness. two

months after the storm the streets of downtown manhattan remain clogged with tubes wires and heavy equipment because dozens of the city's iconic skyscrapers still rely on generators for power things like this going to months with major buildings . that does not occur in hong kong in shanghai. because they have built systems designed to deal with the reality of nature so it is this cutting corners and failing to invest in you know most you know what are you reckon economy when it comes to america's electricity ninety percent of the grid is privately owned by utility companies beholden to investors. energy sector in the united states is law actually. operated and took turns. there were. only by regulation only the

federal government has meant that law it regulation to state local governments though it is possible to haul. the grids to gather that he is saying there are many reasons not only financial and also policy reasons where really changes have to come about if we want to change our safety and our livelihood the changes aren't just limited to the grid engineers have warned that many of america's bridges roads dams levees and power plants are in danger of crumbling if not repaired especially as sea levels continue rising even one bomb is nothing compared to what hurricane sandy did across the northeast a thousand miles of destruction there was a very very big natural event. and you know to have congress

not funding the year. repair of the basic infrastructure. is just staggering. a broken foundation that risks the chance of becoming the nation's biggest homegrown danger. new york. on our side right now hundreds of aboriginal rights activists are staging a mass rally in canada pledging to bring the country's economy to its knees of find all the why online. and rage at the flailing economy it appears as some greeks have declared war on the mainstream media of on to r g dot com to find out more. british clothing manufacturers are calling for support from the prime minister and government amid growing concerns over the lack of products made in the u.k.

but with more and more clothing being imported from overseas the top's could prove tricky as archie is laura's smith reports. it's got the british flag on it but all of these clothes made in britain a quick look at the label shows they're not made in china or made in vietnam anywhere but here and down on the high street the story's no different you'd be hard pushed to find anything with a made in britain label on it in any shop a recent survey by a daily mail journalist found just one item in sixty three with a british made label but now david cameron and his ministers are being urged to back british from their hats to their socks and wear only british made clothes it's not impossible there are companies that still make clothes in the u.k. including the firm that's doing the urging private white p.c. but the vast majority of what we were ninety percent at the last count and

including everything i'm wearing today is made abroad since two thousand and fifty two percent has jobs in the textile industry have disappeared and we imported twelve and a half billion pounds worth more clothing than we export it last year even some companies that trade on their very british north don't manufacture here so even if david cameron and his colleagues did pledge only to buy british it's unlikely to revive britain's a leg textile industry. in other news making headlines around the globe at this hour at least four police officers were injured in overnight clashes in northern ireland pro british loyal love dozens of rates are in rush hour three missiles in petrol bombs at police who use rubber bullets and water cannon to try and disperse the and the mob the most violent clashes erupted in the northern outskirts of the capital belfast tensions have been rising for more than a month after the city council decided to fly the union flag from the city hall

formally eighteen days a year. of french soldier has died in somalia during a failed mission to rescue a hostage who is also believed to have been killed officials are say as seconds a soldier is missing following the operation the raid in the area began hours after french troops intervened in mali to help government troops battle rebels they a country nine french people held hostage across northern africa. thousands have rallied in paris in protest against the assassination of three critters a female activists shot did on thursday the victims included a co-founder of the couldn't stand workers' party which is struggling for an autonomy as region within turkey where the prime minister has blamed the murder on an internal soon forty thousand people have so far been killed in more than three decades long conflict between turkey and the kurdish minority.

as washington been bluffing about the troop withdrawal from afghanistan and was the entire mission justified in the first place archie's resident hit the streets of new york to gauge opinion. the obama administration has recently said that it considering having no troops in afghanistan. and after december of two thousand and fourteen is that a good thing a bad day or a totally made up thing designed for political shenanigans this week let's talk about bet you even think he's going to do it he said that two years ago and it is now been saddened by it so why does he keep saying it if he doesn't mean it. to get people to like and their families will be happy hopefully you know you finish what you started what did we start and what do we have to finish what is finishing mean

i guess to capture or kill or. do you think that we've defined what the end means it's tough because you know we don't know everything i think we need to have a world presence to maintain a democracy why is it up to us to maintain a world presence why don't we just get out of everyone's business well that's a good idea too but if no if we don't do it nobody will and there was a world going to go to war and we really need a stabilizing factor and until now in time it's been us but we're the ones causing all the wars. depends on your perspective i guess i'm sort board more defending than attacking but don't you think that there are some people in the world that feel like america imposes its will on their countries yes but america's will lose its freedom and democracy at its heart it's not a fanatical you don't think it's its own might be money and imperialism a little bit too i don't believe that it is imperialism. and what about money do

you think that money might drive some of our reasons for goal of course but money is going to help everybody i don't think it's happening i i just came back from afghanistan so oh so you don't believe he's really going to pull the troops away. entirely i think that i think that there our presence there is important and therefore sustaining what we've done so far my opinion is that the reason we are over there is because of the wonderful oil i don't have it's all about money and. that's a marina someone who puts your life i'm the line doesn't that make you mad and makes me really upset because we have a lot of marines that are dying each and every day in afghanistan you know and you know for god's sakes i can be next you know so it does make me pretty upset that he's promising something that he's not owning up to the bottom line is we're so used to having u.s. troops all over the world up in everyone's business that we probably can't imagine

us pulling out of anywhere and that makes americans the world's bullies whether we like it or not. time for the banking fat cats take cover max and stacy here after the break. crime is a plague of the big cities but in a tiny arkansas town of twenty five thousand it is really getting out of hand pure

gold is a property crime index of more than double the national average and rape burglary and assault are also way above average poor poor gold is a dangerous place to live in but what's the answer to living in constant fear of criminals well the mayor thinks that the answer to that problem is to live in constant fear of the government how logical the mayor and police chief have a doorstop plan to send out police patrols with a ar fifteen and full swat armor to i guess intimidate the local population into submission well actually the plan is for them to stand around it ask people an important question ask them to show i.d. the answer to crime isn't a police state sending guys out with automatic weapons and body armor around just to check people's i.d. like it's the berlin wall or something won't do anything a guy who breaks into your house for crystal meth money isn't going to be affected by this only the good average citizens will have to show an armed thug of their id just to go buy milk but that's just my opinion.

welcome to the kaiser report i'm max kaiser and today's headlines we've got an ass so that's taro aso head of japan's ministry of finance we've got a sterling crisis brewing thanks to the british ask george osborne with a little help of course from the mightily deranged bank of england but first has facebook used your likeness and personal info to promote a fifty five gallon tube of personal lubricant so you could be in for

a payout of as much as ten dollars stacey however yes max our first headline indeed is facebook's sponsored stories settlement means it's facebook's turn to pay you apparently facebook has been sending some of their users that they could get up to ten dollars from the company because according to the lawsuit it alleges that the facebook ads used facebook members names the likenesses to sell products without their consent case in point facebook used one member's name and face without his knowledge to promote a fifty five gallon tube of personal lubricant under the terms of the settlement any current or former facebook users who have their identities shown in a sponsor story add name to name profile picture photo excited or could be entitled to a check from facebook you know on this show i mentioned a new concept and sexual like insect and such like and this is what social networking is evolving to marcus.